Device for delivering articles to moving trains.



10.746,515. PATENTED 13mg, 1903.

' A. L. IRVIN.

DEVIC POR DBLIVERING ARTICLES T0 MOVINGl TRAINS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. .12, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

l Bym A Uomvf Ys of which the following is a full, clear, and ex-A UNITED STATES Pat'entedecember 8, 1903.

PATENT GEEICE.

DEVICE FOR DELIVERING ARTICLES TO MOVING TRAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,515, dated December 8, 1903. Application iiled September l2, 1903. Serial No. 172.9011. (No model.)

vented new and useful Improvements in De vices for DeliveringArticles to Moving Trains,

act description.

My invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in means for delivering articles, and has particular application to a device of the class described designed to be employed for holdingand delivering articles, messages, documents, parcels, and packages, and any small articles in general to moving vehicles or trains.

In carrying out my invention I have particularly in view providing a holder which shall securely retain such parcels and the like and which 'may be extended in such manner as to be received or taken by the engineer, conductor, or other official while the train is in motion.

A further object of my invention is to provide a holding and delivering device which may be made out of ratan or other suitable material and which will embody the essential features of simplicity,durability, inexpensiveness, and convenience( With the above-recited objects and others of a similar nature in view my invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as is described in this specification, delineated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accom panying' drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indi# cate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a holding and delivering device embodying my improvements, a letter or message being shown in dotted lines to illustrate the manner of securing the same to the frame of the device. Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of the frame of the device, showing in detail the clamp employed for retaining the messages or the like. Fig.Y 3 is a similar view, the clamp being shown in longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a side view of a portion of a modified form of frame and clamp, and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, 5 designates theframe or main body portion of the device, which is formed of ratan or other suitable material and is bent, preferably, in a circular or elliptical shape to form a hoop, the end portions 6 and 7of which are connected by a relatively small sleeve 8, carried at the reduced end portion 9 of the conical tube 10. This tube 10 is somewhat flattened at its widened base or mouth l1 to receive the ends of the rods 12 12, which rods form the handle of the device. The sleeve- 8, which, as will be seen, is arranged transversely or at right angles to the tube 10, may be stamped or formed integral with said tube or maybe in the nature of a separate piece inserted within the tube, as shown in Fig.3. Extending transversely through the flattened portion of the tube l0 is a pin 13, adapted to act as a pivot for the elongated clamping-arm 14, which arm is normally held vwith its curved front end portion l5 in con tact with the sleeve 8 through the medium of the spring 16, coiled `about the pivot 13, one end portion 17 of said spring bearing against the interior surface of the tube, while the other end, l8,eXtends through a slot 19, formed in the tube, and bears against the widened iingerplate 20, formed on the clampingarm 14.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a slightlymodified form of the device. In this instance the hoop portion 5 is formed integral with the handle portion 12a of the article and the handle members are held parallel and prevented from spreading apart through the medium of the curved arms or extensions 8a, formed integral with the lower plate 9a, such extensions being approximately of band-like conformation, and one of each of the arms is secured to one of the parts 8 through the medium of a screw or the like 10a. Thev dat plate-like member 9a is provided with a pair of upwardly-extending parallel lugs 11a, each of said lugs being apertured to permit the passage ofa pivot-pin 13, to which pin is secured, through the medium of downwardly-extending lugs 14a, the upper body portionor clamp- IOC ing member the forward end of the clamping member being curved downwardly, as

shown at 16a, while coiled about the pivot-pin and having one end bearing against the upper plate and one end against the lower plate is a tension-spring 17a, designed to normally cause the upper clamping member to press rmly against the lower plate.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and manner of employing my improvement will be readily apparent. The message, parcel, or other article to be delivered to the moving train is clamped between the upper clamping-arm and the transverse sleeve, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 2, and may be handed up by any person to the engineer, conductor, or other ofcial while the train is in motion, it only being necessary for the official to extend his arm so that the hoop only be hung or thrust upon the same by the party having hold ofthe handle.

The clamp which is employed for retaining the messages and also for securely binding the parallel strips forming the handle member may be made of any suitable material-such as tin, iron, brass, or the like-and While I have shown and described one particular embodiment of the invention minor changes, such as the shape of the hoop, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A device of the class described, comprising a hook member formed of a single piece of material, a sleeve connecting the end portions of the hoop, a tubular member carrying said sleeve, a clamping-arm secured to the tubular member, and a handle inserted within the tubular member, the construction being such that a parcel or the like may be clamped between the arm and the sleeve,sub stantially as set forth.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a hoop member formed of a single piece of material, a sleeve for connecting the end portions of the material, a handle for said hoop, and a clamping-arm designed to bear upon the sleeve for retaining a parcel or the like, substantially as set forth.

3. A device ofthe class described, comprising a frame formed of a single piece of material bent into hoop shape, means for retaining the ends of the material forming the frame, means cooperating with the end-retaining means for forming a clamp to hold a parcel or the like, and a handle for the device, substantially as set forth.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a hoop-shaped frame, a sleeve for retaining the ends of the frame, la tubular member connected wih said sleeve, the free end portion of the tubular member being ilattened,

.an arm pivoted to the tubular member and adapted to cooperate with the sleeve for clampinga parcel or the like,a spring for normally holding one end of the arm in contact with the sleeve, and a handle designed to be seated within the attened portion of the tubular member, substantially as set forth.

5. A device of the class described, comprising -a hoop portion and a handle portion, and a clamping device connecting the hoop portion and the handle portion, said clamping device including a lower member,and a clamping-arm mounted upon said lower member, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARCHIBALD LOU'IZENHISER IRVIN.

Witnesses:

LEWIS H. LAUDERBAUGH, WILLIAM S. SMITH. 

